VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict told the United States' new ambassador on Saturday that world leaders had to consider the ethical and moral dimension of every political decision.

In his address to the envoy, the Pope made no specific mention of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq but referred several times to the positions on war and peace of his predecessor John Paul, who strongly opposed the war and tried to thwart it.

Benedict told the new envoy, Francis Rooney, that John Paul "called attention to the intrinsic ethical dimension of every political decision."

He noted that his predecessor had taught "that the disturbing spread of social disorder, war, injustice and violence in our world can ultimately be countered only by renewed appreciation and respect for the universal moral law whose principles derive from the Creator himself."

The Vatican under John Paul believed that the U.S.-led war in Iraq was not morally justified. Some Vatican officials said publicly that it was a violation of international law because it did not have the backing of the United Nations.

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